Drain cock tool



June 6, 1961 w. o. CHANDLER ET AL 2,987,080

DRAIN COCK TOOL Filed June 5. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Wilbur 0. ChandlerJames A. Roberts 1N VEN TORS.

BY 2mm".

WW FM J1me 1961 w. o. CHANDLER ETAL 2,987,080

DRAIN COCK TOOL.

Filed June 5, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.6

Wi/bur 0. Chandler James A. Roberts INVENTORS.

BY QM WWW M4,

United States Patent 2,987,080 DRAIN COCK TOOL Wilbur 0. Chandler, 415W. th, and James A. Roberts, 414 W. 6th, both of Chanute, Kans. FiledJune 3, 1959, Ser. No. 817,938 Claims. (Cl. 137-798) This inventionrelates to a multipurpose tool which is principally useful in connectionwith the operation and use of drain cocks of automotive vehicles.

An object of the invention is to provide a tool to facilitate drainingof engine blocks and radiators of motor cars and trucks.

The same tool may be used not only to facilitate opening the drainingcock but also to bleed off the water and anti-freeze, when used, so thatthe garage attendant does not become wet in performing this task.

The tool also functions as an adapter by which to connect a liquidconductor to the bottom of the radiator or engine block for reverseflushing.

An important feature of the tool is found in the actual constructionthereof. It is very simple and yet it has numerous features. Forinstance the central passageway of the tool through which water or otherliquid may pass, is so shaped and dimensioned as to receive aconventional wrench. When the knurled surface on the exterior of thetool is insufficient for manual gripping and turning the drain cock tothe open or closed position, usually the former, the conventional toolmay be inserted in the water passageway and the tool very easily turnedthereby opening the drain cock. Once the drain cock is cracked open, thetool may be removed and a hose applied to the end of the tool to leadoff the liquid before the drain cock is actually opened in an amountsuflicient to enable water to flow from the radiator or engine block.

By using this tool for opening and closing drain cocks at considerableamount of damage usually caused by improvised or improper tools, iseliminated. At the present time a hammer, pair of pliers or any othertool at the disposal of the attendant is used for opening drain cocks.The instant special tool for drain cocks will serve the intended purposeeffectively and eliminate a source of considerable damage to theradiator, engine block and drain cock.

Conventional drain cocks may actually be inserted or removed from theradiator or engine block by using the tool because of the conventionalthread and nut of the drain cock which has been adopted as essentiallystandard in the current manufacturers makes and models of automobilesand trucks.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a radiator showing a draincock with a typical tool in accordance with this invention appliedthereto.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the tool in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the tool in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of the tool showing a second usethereof.

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of the tool of FIG- URE 1 but showing awrench being used with the tool.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged elevational view of a modification of the tool.

Patented June 6, 1961 FIGURE 8 is an elevational view, parts broken awayfication of the tool.

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view, parts broken away in section, andshowing a further modification of the tool and also illustrating afurther use to which an of the tools may be placed.

In the accompanying drawings there is illustrated a part of a radiator10 equipped with a conventional drain cock 12 having a handle 14. Theradiator diagrammatically represents any conventional location for thestandard drain cock 12 but has been selected since most of the draincocks are located at the bottom of the radiator of the motor vehicle.

Tool 16 is shown in FIGURES 1-6 inclusive. It is made of a body 18having a tapered side wall 20 with annular grooves 22 and 24 spaced fromeach other and also spaced from the ends of the body of the tool. Thereis a cylindrical upper portion 26 of the body of the tool, and it has apair of bayonet slots 26 and 28 therein by which to receive and hold theends of handle 14. The bayonet slots, each has an entrance portion 30opening through edge 32 of the cylindrical portion 26 of the Wall of thetool, together with a portion 34 which is parallel to edge 32 but spacedtherefrom. The ends of handle 14 are received in portion 38 by movingthe tool upward, and then they are received in portion 34 (in acorresponding portion of slot 28) by turning the tool about thelongitudinal axis thereof.

The longitudinal axis of the tool is coincident with the longitudinalaxis of liquid conducting passageway 40 extending completely through thetool (FIGURE 4). Pas sageway 40 has an upper enlarged part 42 withinwhich compressible, yielding resilient bushing 44 is disposed. Thebushing is in the shape of a sleeve and may be made of rubber or someother elastomeric substance. The lower edge of the bushing 44 isdisposed on shoulder 46 of passageway 40, and the bore 48 of thesleeve-like bushing is coincident with the longitudinal axis ofpassageway 40 and actually constitutes a part thereof. The upper surface50 of bushing 44 constitutes a yielding seat against which the lowersurface of the handle 14 comes to hear. The upper surface 50 of thebushing is normally above the lower edge of slots 28 and 30 so that thebushing must be compressed slightly when the tool is inserted on thehandle 14 of drain cock 12 so that there is established a liquid seal atthis point.

The lower end of the passageway 40 is non-circular to form a Wrenchreceiving socket 56. A conventional wrench 58 (FIGURE 6) may be insertedin socket 56 to facilitate turning the handle 14 of the drain cock. Thismay be in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

In use tool 16 is applied to drain cock 12 as described. The outersurface of the tool is pressed by one hand and turned thereby openingthe drain cock 12 by rotating handle 14. A knurled surface may beprovided on the body of the tool to facilitate gripping. In instanceswhere a Wrench is required or desired one may be used as shown in FIGURE"6. Circumferential grooves 22 and 24 are used to enhance a frictionalgrip with hose 62 that may be attached to the body of the tool by simplyslipping it over the lower end thereof (FIGURE 5). This materially aidsin conducting the water or other liquid from the engine or radiatorwithout getting the attendant wet. As shown in FIGURE 9 a liquidconductor 64 having a hollow plug 66 at one end, may be attached to thetool by inserting the hollow plug into socket 56. It is clearly evidentthat the tool may be used not only for tightening and loosening thedrain cock 12 but also to conduct off the liquid and also to applyliquid under pressure into the radiator 10 or engine block for reverseflushing.

3 Attention is now invited to FIGURE 7. Tool 70 shown in this figure isexactly the same in all details of Christmases" sensor 16 withthesoleexception that the bayonet slots 26a and 28a have short projections 72and 74,at the. entrances thereof in. order to latch the handle 14 inplace in the slots. FIGURE 8 illustrates a further embodiment of theinvention. Tool 76 is essentially the same as the tools 16 and 70. Thisfigure. illustrates a knurled surface 78.1'eferred to in connection withtool 1 6 and which may be used on tool 70 or any other tool inaccordance with the invention. In addiiton slots 26b and 28b haveangulated lower surfaces 80 and 82 to serve as cams in locking the toolonto the drain cock. Tool 86 in FIGURE 9 shows a variation in thematerial of construction. The previously described tools are made ofmetal, but it is Within the purview of the invention to use a suitable,commercially available plastic such as nylon or some other syntheticresinous material having the proper hardness and heatresistancecharacteristics.

The foregoing is considered as'illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed-as new is as follows:

1. A tool for manipulating the handle of a drain cock, said toolcomprising a body having a passageway extending completely therethroughand constituting a liquid conductor, one end of said body having a pairof slots with entrance portions opening through one end edge of the.body and lateral portions registering with said first mentionedportions, a compressibly resilient bushing in said passageway and havinga surface'extending beyond an inwardly disposed edge of said slots, saidbus-hing having a passageway therethrough and constituting a part of thefirst mentioned passageway.

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein there are means operativelyassociated'with said slots for locking the tool in an operativeposition.

3. The tool of claim 1 wherein the end of said passageway opposite tothat end having said slots is noncircular in cross-section to provide atool receiving socket.

4. The tool of claim 3 wherein said wrench receiving socket also isadapted to receive an insertable and removable coupling on a liquidconductor in a manner to retain the liquid conductor therein.

5. The tool of claim 4 wherein said tool body has a tapered outer wallby which to receive and retain the end of a liquid conductor.

6. A tool for actuating a radiator drain cock which has a handle, saidtoolcornprising a bo,dy having a longitudinal passage therethrough, saidpassage having an enlarged portion at oneendwith a shoulder at one endof said enlarged portion, a compressible and resilient bushing seated onsaid shoulder and having a bore constituting a part of said passage,said body provided with bayonet slots with surfaces spaced inwardly ofthe adjacent outwardly disposed surface of said bushing.

7. The tool of claim 6 wherein said body is constructed of plasticmaterial.

8. The tool of claim 6 wherein said body is constructed of metal.

9, The tool of claim 6. wherein the end of said passage opposite to theend having said slots registered therewith is non-circular incross-section to receive a wrench or similar tool to facilitate turningthe body.

10. A tool for turning the handle-equipped valve of a radiator draincock oif and on comprising an elongated body having a median bodyportion and end portions, said body being of truncated conical form andprovided with an axial passage extending therethrough from one endportion to the other end portion, the end of the passage opposite tosaid truncated end being counterbored and provided-with a shoulder, abushing of compressibly resilient material constituting a gasket andlocatedinthe counterbored portion and seated on said shoulder, that.portion of the body beyond an outwardly disposed. end of said bushingbeing provided with deametrically oppositev bayonet slots, and theportion of the bore.adjacent the truncated end of the body being reducedand providing a socket member, the latter serving to accommodate aWrench.

References Cited in the file of this. patent UNITED STATES PATENTS169,489 Smeaton Nov. 2, 1875 513,475 Bergmon Jan. 30, 1894 766,753Brooks Aug. 2, 1904 987,000 Lukens Mar. 14, 1911 1,423,418 Girk-ScheitJuly 18, 1922

